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Eylstrana
History The Kingdom of Eylstrana is as old as any elf remembers. Which is to say it's antediluvian to most humanoid races. It was founded upon the discovery of a ritual that would assist the elves in record keeping, and allow them to leverage their long lives against outward threats. This ritual, called The Sapling, created the Eylstra, the memory tree for which the kingdom is named. Elves of all races and clans recognized the advantages and power this tree would bring, and came together to maximize its potential. The disparate elven races sent their best to represent them at the capitol, and a senate was formed shortly thereafter. They lived alongside the Thruhmuth empire, their nature magic keeping the ancient empire's ambitions at bay. Whatever fate heralded the end of the Thruhmuth empire ravaged Eylstrana as well, and the recent plague did not spare them either. Only through the might of the Eylstra did elven civilization survive. Geography Eystrana is a lush forest filled with spirits and magical phenomena. So lush in fact that farming is more of a hobby than a necessity, as hunting and gathering is ample to sustain their entire population. Any man or woman can walk two hundred paces into the forest and spend fifteen minutes picking up food for the day, midnight snack included. Their southern coast affords access to the sea, and aquatic elves are some of the best fishers on the continent. The further south you go the more common sea borne delicacies become. The sea also provides unique trade opportunities, and elven sailors maintain an unlikely relationship with Valencia via trade. Temperatures range from moderate near the northern end of the kingdom to warm tropics at the southern edge. The sea winds make the southern region resistant to the seasons, providing food and farmland year round. Government Eylstrana uses a representative republic to legislate its laws. Each of the elven races (Wood elves, sun elves, moon elves, tower elves, and aquatic elves) sends representatives. How each race selects its representatives is up to that race's local government. Wood elves select their representative with a hunting challenge held every ten years. Participants are allowed to receive gifts of tools or weapons from the populace, but are limited in what they can personally bring. Sun elves opt for a direct democratic approach, having their population gather in the halls of the candidate they support while constructs go around counting. Voting is mandatory and candidates are expected to feed and entertain their voters. Tower elves put their own spin on the democratic approach. Ballots are cast and counted by the Dean's staff, but candidates must be able to cast sixth level spells and know at least five rituals. Aquatic elves take a leaf from the prismatic isles. During the selection period an aquatic elf simply declares herself the councilor. Provided no one disagrees, or successfully gets them to back down from their assertion, this is taken as fact. Moon elves return to their ancestral roots. A councilor is selected by a combination of trials and portents, the former designed to test the would-be councilor's critical thinking and grace under pressure and the latter to verify the candidate's standing among her people. The Elven Castes Eylstrana is a relatively egalitarian state. All contributions to the elven kingdom are honored in accordance with the provider's skill and merits. Legendary warriors break bread with renown labor foremen with no resentment. The non-governmental hierarchies are fluid and shift with context. During times of war shamans and laborers fall silent as heroes and warriors step forward. Post war recovery is lead by laborers and craftsmen, with other castes subservient to their needs. Castes are not decided by birth. It's common for an elf to spend her first life pursuing her mother's profession, but this isn't always the case and future lives will almost certainly be spent differently. The different castes are not held in higher regard than any other, and there are few if any bars for entry into any of them (varying based on the specific organization an elf is trying to join). Some castes, however, require more resources to train a new member (such as wizards or Tree Saints). In those cases an aspiring member may need to prove some form of potential before entry is granted.